Plectrum piano action



July 17, 1923;

1,462,444 G- CASCIOTTA PLECTRUM PIANO ACTION Filed May 11, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES l/VWF/V 7:01?

G/wzP/ E 62 500774 A TTOHNE Y8 July 17, 1923. 1,462,444

G. CASCIOTTA PLECTRUM PIANO ACTION -Filed May 11, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 U I 2.

ll WITNESSES II/VEN TOR G/t SEPPE 54 66/0 7'74 A TTOHNEYS July 17, 1923.

- 1.462.444 G. CASCRQTTA PLECTRUM PIANO ACTION Filed May 11, 1921 :5 Sheets-Sheet s F1 INVENTOR WITNESSES A TTOR/VEYS Patented July 17, 1923.

UNITED STATES GIUSEPPE CASC'IOTTA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PLECTRUM PIANO ACTION.

Application filed May 11,

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GIUsnPrE CASGIO'lTA, a subject of the King of Italy, and resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Plectrum Piano Action, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a piano action and aims to provide certain new and useful improvements in connection with a device of this character..

It is well understood in certain respects, that the tonal qualities and effects produced by a harp are incapable of being produced in a piano when the strings thereof are subjected to the ordinary percussion action; it being well known that the strings of a harp must be picked.

On the other hand, however, a performermay produce runs and brilliant tones upon a piano in view of the key-board forming a part Of this instrument, which permits of these results being accomplished without the expenditure of that amount of energy which would be necessary to produce the same result upon a harp.

It is an object of my invention to provide a novel piano action capable of being substituted for a conventional piano action constructed in a new piano and by means of which the same tonal qualities will be capable of being duplicated by means of a piano as are now capable of being rendered only by a performer upon a harp.

A further object of my invention is the construction of a device of the character stated which shall be extremely simple and by means of which the effects brought out in the preceding paragraph may be accomplished, in addition to the brilliant tones, etc., which were heretofore capable of ac complishment only upon a piano.

Further objects of my invention will appear in the annexed specification taken in connection with the drawings, of which latter present practical embodiments of the same, and in which;

Figure l is a transverse sectional view of an upright piano having my improved type of action mounted therein.

1921. Serial No. 468,560.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary face view of a section of said action.

Figure 3 is a sectional side vlew taken along the line 8-3 and in the direction of the arrows indicated in Figure 2.

Figure 4i is a sectional plan view taken along the line l"fi: and in the direction of the arrows indicated in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view of my device as applied to a grand piano.

Figure 6 is a sectional side view thereof taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figures 7 to 10 illustrate the successive positions of the essential parts of the action.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the string contact element.

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional side view taken along the line 1212 of Figure 6, and

Figure 13 is a plan view of a slightly different form of operating arm which may be utilized to advantage in certain adaptations.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1 it will be seen that the reference numeral 15 indicates the cabinet of an ordinary upright piano of any design, which in the usual manner is provided with a plurality of keys 16 arranged adjacent each other and constituting in aggregate the keyboard, and serving, when operated, to effect a vibration of one of the strings 17, of the harp mounted within the piano.

Contrary to the conventional construction a pivot block 18 is arranged within the cabinet 15, and preferably extends through the entire length thereof.

Rockingly mounted upon this pivot block are arcuate transmission members 19, which correspond in number to the number of keys 16 provided. In the usual manner the shank 20 of the key is pivotally supported and the contacting surfaces of this shank and the member 19 are preferably covered with felt 21.

A supporting back 22 is rigidly secured to the cabinet 15 and serves to pivotally support a number of actuating levers or arms 23, as has been indicated by the reference numeral 24:, it being noted in this connection that the actuating levers or arms 23 also correspond in number to the number of keys 16 which of course correspond to til that each of the latter members has its upper face also covered with felt to contact with a similar face forming part of the actuating levers or arm 23.

Thus a movement of the key 16 downward will result in a rocking of the men her 19, and this in turn will serve to de press the lower end of the actuating arm 23, thus swinging the outer end thereof away from the harp 17, all of these directions of movement being indicated by arrows in Figure 1.

A release of the key 16 immediately re sults in the same being returned to its nor-- mal position. This is due to the fact that spring 25 which is interposed between the lower or inner end of each actuating arm 23 and the face of the supporting back 22. It is also to be noted in this connection that an extreme outward swinging on the part of any actuating arm 23 is prevented, preferably by means of a. confining member 26 spaced from and extending along" the outer faces of the actuating arms. and this confining member is preferably provided with an actuating strip 27 which will preclude any undue noise resulting incident to contact between any actuating arm and the said confining member.

Attention is now invited to Figures 2, 3 and 4c. In these views it will be seen that each of the actuating arms 23 r-ferabiy provided with an opening cooperating with a guiding element 538 secured to the supporting back 22. This will obviously prevent any sidewise distortion of the actuating arms at their point of pivotal connection. incident to sidewise strains upon the outer ends of these arms. Further, secured adjacent the outer ends of each of the arms is an operating head 29 connected to the arm 23 in the adaptation illustrated in the figures referred to by means of a flexible strip 30. Thus the head. 29 may be swung to either side of a straight line within certain limits for a purpose hereinafter more fully specified.

Referring now more particularly to the specific construction of the head it will be noted, reference being had to Figure 12 that the same includes a body portion 31 to which a spring pressed retaining member 32 is pivotally secured, as at 33, adjacent gripping portions of both of these members preferably being covered with felt or a similar substance 34.

A pick 35 shown in Figure 11 may thus be firmly and detachably held by the head 29 and the contact portion 36 thereof, which preferably embodies limited flexible qualities extends beyond the outer face of the head. Referring again to Figures 2 to a; it will also be seen that with a View of providing a guide for each of the actuating arms for a purpose hereinafter brought out, members 37 are fixedly secured, preferably to the body of the harp, and these members rigidly support guiding elements or fingers, each providing in cross section an oblong curved body portion 38 having its body arranged at an angle to the path of travel of the operating head 29. A similar guiding element 39 is rigidly carried by each of the operating heads 29, and this guiding element has its outer end extending to a point beyond the inner end of the guiding element 38, it being noted in thisconnection that the body of the guiding element 39 is disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the angle in which the guiding element 38 is disposed.

ith a view of illustrating the operation accomplished by virtue of the construction aforedescribed, attention is invited to the series of Figures 7 to 10 inclusive. It will be seen reference being had to Figure 7 that the operating head 29 lies in position in which the parts are shown as arranged in Figure 1. By virtue of the fact that the guiding elements or fingers 38 and 39 are also arranged substantially in line with each other. it will be seen in Figure 8 that a depression of one of the keys 16 will result in one of the operating heads 29 moving inwardly, and due to the flexible strip 30 this movement will be continued towards the strings 17 This movement will be continued until the contact portion 36 of the pick bears in intimate contact with the strings 17. and a further movement on the part of the operating head, as has been indicated in arrows will result in the string 17 being picked in a manner similar to the results achieved by means of the fingers of a performer upon a harp. The tendency of the actuating head due to the resilient qualities of the flexible strip 30 will be that of realigning the guiding elements 38 and Thus upon the actuating head being moved to a position slightly beyond that ill ustratcd in Figure 9, i. e, to a point where the guiding elements 38 39 clear each other, the said head will immediately snap back to a point atwhich the guiding element 39 will lie above and to the left of the guiding element This is to be attributed to the resilient feature forming a part of the actuating arm or lever, and it will be obvious that by this construction an operator may permit the key to return to its natural position without any fear being felt of the pick 36 contacting with the string 17 upon its return stroke, it being further noted that the flexibility of the actuating arm will allow of this displacement of the actuating head in an opposite direction to effect its return to normal position. Thus the string 17 will be cleared by the contact portion of the pick and no tone will result upon the return,

stroke of the operating head to its normal position.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that I have provided What might preferably be termed a plectrum piano act-ion and by means of which a duplication of the results achieved by a harp may be accomplished. Furthermore it will be seen that this action is extremely simple and efiiciont, and thus any objection on this point is avoided.

It will be seen that my invention is quickly adaptable to a grand piano and in this connection attention is invited to Figures and 6. The construction illustrated in these figures is entirely similar as far as the actu ating heads 29, picks, guiding elements, etc. are concerned, the only difference being; that this construction is of even more simple nature than the construction illustrated in the figures previously referred to.

Thus it will be seen in Figures 5 and 6 that the keys are pivo'tally secured at 41 to a supporti back d2. directly lying the portion or the harp d3. idpri serve to normally depress the outer ends ot the arms 4,- forming a continuation of the keys 40, downwardly, and suitable .idiup; elements 46 also co-operatii with tne keys. it being further no ted that coofinin cl emert. 457 preferably provided, which linrt movement oi? tie keys or arms toe-mine; a continuation thereof. Those arms Sl'l13 ?ltflexible strips corresponding to the strips and an actuating head 29 secured to the outer ends of each of; these 2 the aitoredcscribed construction, the cooperation oi": the pick secured to each of the operating heads with a string of the harp being in all respects similar to the operation atoredescribed in connection with an upright piano.

it will be noted, reference being had to Figure 13 that the strip SOmsy be entirely dispensed with if this is desired by actuating; arm or ot a good quality of Wood, and in providingthe same vcith a reduced portion 48, Which Will thus incorporate flexible qualities to the arm. itself, so as to produce the result desired. llurthen more it will be seen that although a numbe of different shapes of guiding; elements might be utilised, the the shape shown is preferably employed by virtue of the fact that the curved surfaces of the same will present snooth guiding faces peimiti c; it a freedom of movement of the a i nd towards the insuring of POSlL action. 4

Thus it Wlll be seen tha 11v invention 33 adaptable to any type nstrum-nt, and that no necessity exists .t tne parts being removed in a conventional instrument other than the action, it the results achieved by means of my invention are desired.

Furthermore it will be appreciated that posed between and connected to the body each of said arms and its operating head,

said operaing head including a b. dy portion, a spring pressed retaining member rockingly secured to said body '1 a pick interposed between sail. body and O 0 action includ: a i in.

mounted an is, a resilient portion rockingly forming a part of each o't said arms, an operating head secured adjacent the outer end of each or said resilient portions, and a pick carried by each operating head, each arm having associatedtherewith guiding means adapted to flex the resilient portion or 'd to one side or a given point upon dd arm being swung outwardly, and to the opposite side of said given poii upon said arm returning to its normal position.

3. A. pian action including a movable arm, a striua' to be picked, pic-k carried at the end id arm adjacen its string, and means tor moi'i and guiding said arm to cause the pick, in the operation of sound ing a note, to describe a closed i c ure ly ng n a plane at an angle to the line (it c tension Oil the string, said means including a pair of oppositely directed one fixed relative to th arm and one carried by the arm, the latter linger being resiliently mounted on the arm and both fingers being so shaped arranged that one travels completely around the other during a picking and return movement of the arm, to this end the fingers extending in opposite directions and substantially parallel with portions overlappin transversely oi": the lines of extension oi: the fingers and said fingers being connected to their mounting parts beyond such overlap.

d. A piano action including a movable arm, a. strf gr to be picked, a pick carried at the end. or? said arm adjacent to its string, and means for moving and guiding said arm to cause the pick, in the operation of sounding note, to describe substantially elliptical figure, said means including solely a resilient mount-it for the pick and a pair of cooperzint fingers one on the mounting last mentioned and the other fixed relative to the first-mentioned finger, one of said lingers being substantially elliptical in crosssection.

5. 3i piano action including a movable arm, a string to be picked, a pick carried at the end of said arm adjacent to its string,

or moving and guiding said sounding a note, to describe a figure substantially elliptical in form and the major axis of which is to one side of the string and in a plane si'ibstantially perpendicular to the line of extension of the string, said means including solely a pair of cooperant fingers one carried by the arm and the other fixed relative to the first-mentioned finger, said fingers having their free ends oppositely directed, and the part of the arm carrying one of the fingers being resiliently movable transverse to the plane of movement of the arm in advancing toward the string during the operation oi sounding a note, one of said fingers being substantially elliptical in crosssection.

6. A piano action including a movable arm, a string to be picked, a pick resiliently carried at the end 01'' said arm adjacent to its string, and means for moving and guiding said arm to cause the pick, in the operation of sounding a note, to ClQSCIdJB a closed fig ure, said means including solely two cooperant fingers one carried by the arm and fixed relative to the pick and the other finger fixed relative to the first-mentioned finger, one of said fingers being suliistantially ellip tical in cross-section.

7. A piano action including a, movable tially perpendicular to the line of extension of the string, such means including a projection on the pick and a fixed member adjacent to the string for coacting with said projection, said fixed member having a periphery shaped substantially like an ellipse Where said member coacts with said projection, the part of said fixed member having such periphery being located Wholly to one side of said string.

8. A piano action including a movable arm, a string to be picked, a pick arried at the end of said arm adjacent to its string, and means for moving said arm to cause the pick to pluck said string, such means in cluding a single fixed guiding member on one side of the string having a cross-section elongated more in one direction than in the direction perpendicular to the first-mentioned direction, and a single guided member carried by the pick-carrying end of said arm.

9. A piano action including a movable arm, a string to be picked, a pick carried at the end of said arm adjacent to its string, and means for moving said arm to cause the pick to pluck the string, such means including a projection on the pick and a fixed member adjacent to the string for coacting with said projection, said fixed member having a periphery shaped substantially like an ellipse Where said member coacts with said projection, and such projection Where it coacts With said fixed member having a pcriphery shaped substantially like an ellipse.

GIUSEPPE CASCIOTTA. 

